Primary Documents - King Ferdinand's Proclamation to the Romanian Army, 28 August 1916
Reproduced below is the
official proclamation issued to the Romanian Army by
King
Ferdinand.
Published on the day war against Austria-Hungary was officially announced by Prime Minister Ion Bratianu, the King's proclamation alerted his people to the sacrifices ahead, but pointed to the great gains made possible by a successful outcome.
Click here to read former Romanian Prime Minister Take Jonescu's statement in support of the war effort. Click here to read the King's proclamation to the Romanian people; click here to read the reaction of the German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg. Click here to read the statement issued by the Romanian Ambassador to the U.S. in October 1917. Click here to read a memoir of the invasion of Romania by Queen Marie.
Proclamation by King Ferdinand to the Army, 28 August 1916
Soldiers:
I have summoned you to carry your standards beyond the frontier, where our brothers are waiting for you impatiently and with hearts filled with hope.
The memory of the Great Voivodes Michael the Brave and Stephen the Great, whose remains lie in the earth which you are going to set free, call you to victory as men worthy of the victors of Razboeni, Capugareeni, and Paehna.
I have summoned you to fight side by side with the men of the great nations to which we are allied. A desperate struggle awaits you. We shall bear these hardships manfully, and with God's help victory will be ours.
Show yourselves worthy of the glory of your ancestors. In the centuries to come the whole race will bless you and sing your praises.
FERDINAND
Source: Source Records of the Great War, Vol. V, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923
A "red cap" was a British military policeman.
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